Stadium on Bulgarska St. was opened to public in 1980. From beginning to end it consisted of three single-tiered stands based on artificial hills. Their capacity was initially estimated to be at even 40,000 (that might be exagerrated though), but along with installing individual seats the number of viewers halved. The capacity of 20,000 remained until 2003, when a new fourth stand, first part of the new stadium, was raised.

At the first game in 1980 there were some 18,000 people, but 4 years later an audience of around 45,000 watched a prestigious rivalry with Widzew Lodz. Soon after inauguration a new control room over the stands was constructed and then came the most characteristic part of the ground – 56-meter high floodlight masts. Due to their design they were called ‘swans’.